That’s what matters. It’s not about whether Jonah and I are attracted to each other.
I square my shoulders and meet Kai’s gaze in the mirror. “If you have time, can we figure out what we’re doing on that article I need to write?”
“Yep, no problem. After this I need to take some photos for my pages and then we can do it.”
“It’s about moisturizers, right?”
“Right. I’ve been using this new Charlotte Tilbury one and it’s fucking phenomenal. But I’m usually a La Mer fan. So this will make a perfect one for you to write about. I think we’ll focus on great, universal moisturizers at different price points.”
“Okay, perfect. I’m going to order in dinner later, so think about what you want.”
“Oh, let’s order from that noodle place. I’ve been craving noods all day.”
“I’m down for that.”
“And then let’s watch A Star is Born.”
I laugh. “Again?”
“Listen, girl. You can literally never have too much of three things in your life—great lashes, chai tea and Lady Gaga. Those three things will get you through anything.”
“Noted. And I kind of feel like Bradley Cooper won’t get old for a really long time, either.”
“No shit. Those eyes of his are dreamy. Almost as nice as your boyfriend’s.”
“Jonah does have nice eyes,” I say, cringing as I remember our back and forth the night of our first date.
“Nice? He’s hot as hell, Rey. Reminds me of Chris Hemsworth. Jonah West makes me wish I had a vagina so I could sit on his face.”
I cackle with laughter as Kai finishes blending my makeup. Once again, he’s making me look like a sophisticated model instead of a frumpy cop.
“Hey,” I say, looking at him in the mirror. “I had an idea. And it may be awful, but I thought I’d at least run it by you.”
“What?”
“Well, when you were showing me that scrub the other day and it smelled citrusy, I looked online to see if you can make homemade scrubs and I found some…I don’t know, recipes? Not like we’re going to eat them, but you know what I’m saying. What if we did a thing for your page where I film you making scrubs?”
Kai grins. “I love it! We can have tons of fun with that.”
“You’re helping me out so much,” I say, turning serious. “I want to help you, too, however I can.”
“You are helping me,” he says softly. “Just having you here…I like it.”
“Me too.”
Kai puts the brush he’s using in a canister and says, “Okay. Now we’re going to try to have you do your eyeshadow and liner and not end up looking like a sad ’80s hooker.”
“It looked good last time!” I argue.
“It was tragic.”
I sigh heavily and pick up an eyeshadow palette. For my work, I’ve learned how to speak Portuguese, how to use every firearm ever made and how to survive a tear gas attack. And frustrating as it’s been so far, I’m going to learn how to apply makeup like a pro.
“Not that one!” Kai shrieks as I hold a brush over a dark color. “Do you want to look like fucking Michael Jackson in the “Thriller” video?”
If only makeup was as cut and dry as all the rest.
Chapter Eight
Jonah
The thunk of a rubber ball Knox is throwing up against a wall is the only sound in the locker room when I walk in before our home game. I left after our pregame skate because the energy level was flat and I needed to pump myself up with a short run.
“Hey,” Easy says to me as I walk in.
“Hey.”
We lost our most vocal teammate to the Las Vegas expansion draft a few months ago. Alexei Petrov wasn’t on our protected list and Vegas swiped him. He was always cracking jokes and having fun before games. Victor’s like that, too, but he’s worried about his roster spot these days so he’s not so lighthearted.
“How’s your shoulder?” Anton asks me.
I shrug. “It’s fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
He nods, satisfied. I know our team captain misses having his twin brother, Alexei, as a teammate. Alexei had finally found his footing, getting sober and settling down with his girlfriend Graysen. They spent a lot of time together with their families, and Alexei was a good uncle to his nieces.
And from private conversations with Anton, I know Anton liked having his eyes on his brother. Making sure he stayed on the straight and narrow. Nothing tempts a man to go wild with booze and women like being a pro athlete on the road. Temptation